_ Reprinted from PROCEEDINGS OF THE TWENTY-THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF 
AMERICANISTS, September, 1928 


PRINTED IN THE U. 8. A. 


DECORATIVE ASPECTS OF CERTAIN TYPES OF MEXICAN 
POTTERY 


By Epuarpo NoGuERA 


people of Mexico were considered perhaps the more advanced, for they had 

produced a culture of a high standard, developed a beautiful art and archi- 
tecture, and lived under a well-organized political and social system. In South 
America, among the Inca, existed a culture comparable in many ways to that of 
Mexico. 

Among the artistic expressions of the Mexican civilizations, one of the most 
noteworthy is the pottery industry, and its remains are scattered over all the 
archaeological sites. Although this pottery has certain exclusive characteristics 
that distinguish it from the ceramics of other American groups, it also has points 
of similarity by which cultural contacts with other Mexican ethnical groups may 
be traced. 

A picture of the mentality of these people and the cultural level they had 
attained is reflected in the representation of the gods and goddesses, and symbols 
of other beings and objects, which are used on the decorations of their pottery. 
The present study, which I have the honor to present to this Congress, is a statis- 
tical one and designed to classify such pottery decorations, which, for the purpose 
of this work, are divided into anthropomorphic, zoomorphie, phytomorphice, 
skeuomorphic, and geometrical motives. Differences in the art products of the 
various cultural groups can thus be judged and some information on their men- 
tal characteristics gained. 

Maya, Totonac, Huastec, and Archaic pottery are not in the scope of this 
work, partly because only a very limited number of examples of this type of 
ceramic products exist in the National Museum at Mexico City, whose archae- 
ological collections, together with those at the local museum on the archaeological 
site of San Juan Teotihuacan, provided the material on which this work is based. 
Besides, excellent studies and classifications have already been made of this other 
pottery by foreign archaeologists. 

For the purpose of this study, over four thousand examples of Zapotec, 


Q’ all the inhabitants of America before the time of Columbus the Indian 


- Mixtec, Tarascan, Toltec, and Aztec pottery vessels were studied and more than 


seventeen hundred other pottery objects. The character of the decoration was 
observed and the predominance in it of the human figure. It is important to bear 
in mind, in the classification of decorative motives into human, animal, plant, or 
geometrical forms, that many figures that at first sight appear purely geometrical, 
may have, in reality, undergone a complete evolution beginning with some nat- 
ural form, passing slowly through conventionalization, and ending as a purely 
geometrical design. This can be observed in the conventionalized snake which 
began by being pictured realistically at first, but ended as a geometrical pattern. 
i 85 


86 XXIII International Congress of Americamsts 


Another object of the study was to classify the various pottery samples in 
the Mexican National Museum according to the type of decoration, 7.e., whether 
painted, incised, or modeled, or, when undecorated, to classify according to shape. 
However, in the short time allowed for the subject, only the first part dealing 
with the nature of the decoration will be considered here. The study is only 
preliminary, leaving much to be done, for the National Museum collections are 
but an infinitesimal part of the ceramic objects left by these people. Pottery still 
exists in countless localities and systematic excavations would reveal thousands 
of new samples that might modify the conclusions reached here. 

The first ceramics to be considered is that of the Zapotee of Oaxaca. It 
closely resembles that of their neighbors, the Mixtec, showing a certain mental 
relationship, but it is distinguished from it in this compilation by its geograph- 
ical origin, the Mixtec pottery being that which comes from the place known as 
the Mixteca region of Oaxaca. 


' Fifteen hundred and eighty-three vessels were  stadied and according to the . 


character of their decoration they are divided into the following groups :— 


No. Per Cent 
Vessels with anthropomorphic decoration .cccccccccssenn 660 42.0 
Vessels with zoomorphic decoration ...cccccsecucmesn 256 16.0 
Vessels with phytomorphice Cecoration 2s 6 0.3 
Vessels with skeuomorphic Wecoration ccc seal Y 0.4 - 
Vessels with geometrical Gecoration ....c-cccccsocecsescnenemenne 104 7.0 
Vessels without’ decoration. 2.55. cons, sere 550 35.0 

Dota: iin ee ee 1,583 
Anthropomorphic pottery Objects ececceccsesecsseneesiremetuse 385 95.0 
Zoomorphie pottery: objects: 242g es 21 5.0 
Total esd ene kd ns 406 3 


These figures show that over 40 per cent of the Zapotee pottery vessels are 
decorated with anthropomorphic motives. The importance of this motive varies, 
for in the case of funerary urns in the forms of human figures, the container 
part of the vessel almost disappears in comparison with it; while other vessels 
show only small anthropomorphic decorative details, such as hands, feet, or parts 
of heads, which nevertheless show that the maker was inspired by the human form 
or perhaps influenced by his religious beliefs to impress its form on his art. 

Animal motives form decorations in only 16 per cent of the eases, geometrical 
ones in 7 per cent, and plant or object motives, a negligible number of times. It 
cannot, however, be said that all geometrical motives are purely such, as has been 
explained before, for many of them may represent conventionalized natural forms. 

There are a considerable number of pottery vessels in which two or three 


types of decoration appear combined. When this is the case, preference is given — 


to the predominant form. There are various examples, the central motive of 
which is anthropomorphic or zoomorphie and whose borders or edges are deco- 
rated with geometrical designs. In this case the animated motive is given the 
preference, since that was apparently the purpose of the artist as well. In other 
cases of mixed decoration more evenly distributed, preference is given to the ani- 
mated motive for similar reasons. 


tenn 


Nocurra—Decorative Aspects of Mexican Pottery 87 


More than a third, namely, 35 per cent, of the Zapotec vessels were undeco- 
rated. These were probably the common household pots and utensils and most 
likely occupied a minor place in the ceramic industry as works of art. 

Of the four hundred and six ceramic objects, other than vessels, that were 
studied, 95 per cent were anthropomorphic and the rest zoomorphic. 

The conclusion reached, according to our table, is that’ the human figure was 
of the greatest importance to the Zapotec artists and pottery makers, as in half 
of the cases the human figure was represented realistically while in the other 
cases it was conventionalized in varying degrees. 


Mixtec Porrery 


An analysis of five hundred fifty-three examples of Mixtec pottery in the 
National Museum and three hundred ninety-one pottery objects shows the follow- 
ing division of decoration :— 


No. Per Cent 

Vessels with anthropomorphic decoration -..cc-ccccccccnn 28 5.0 

Vessels with zoomorphic Gecoration -ncccccccmctencneneseenrce 32 6.0 

Vessels with phytomorphic decoration recesses 11 2.0 

Vessels with skeuomorphic Gecoration ..cccccccecncececncne 3 0.0 

Vessels with geometrical Gecoration .c:cccceccwesseeseneeecntee 202 36.0 

IVGBHEIR WITHOUE COCOTAtiON asec cpa bereceenertessier 277 50.0 
A ATE) [cI pe toe aoe nen tlk See OE 553 

POUNTOPOMOrphic Objects. atten 386 98.0 

PES TS ASSIST OT AT 2) # el  aRedy e ee  aee eReee 5 0.5 
TR Oi Ee, lane  a0Sa oe 391 


Mixtec pottery, therefore, has only a small proportion of pieces with human 
and animal motives as decoration, but a high proportion, namely, 36 per cent, 
with geometrical decoration, whereas 50 per cent are without any decoration at 
all. Among pottery objects other than vessels, 98 per cent utilize the human 
figure and the others have animal forms. 

Considering these two classes of ceramic objects together, it is seen that 
human motives still remain more important than any one of the others. The flora 
and fauna of the Mixteca, as far as can be seen from the collections at the Na- 
tional Museum, enter but little into the art of the pottery. 


TARASCAN POTTERY 


The history of the Tarascan is somewhat similar to that of the Aztec. They 
lived in Michoacan, parts of Guanajuato, Guerrero, and other States, which were 
invaded by tribes from the northwest, mingling their blood with theirs. The 
primitive appearing technique of their ceramic objects is suggestive of a primitive 
cultural level and these people appear to have inhabited these regions since rela- 
tively remote times. To judge by these very same objects, especially anthropo- 
morphic figures, they bear a strong resemblance to the archaic figurines found in 
the strata of the Valley of Mexico, which are considered the artistic expressions 
of the oldest settlers in the valley. 


88 XXIII International Congress of Americanists 


The frequency with which various types of decoration appear in Tarasean 
pottery is as follows :— 


No Per Cent 

Vessels with anthropomorphic decoration .......cccccccnu ig 9.0 

Vessels with zoomorphic Gecoration on eeecsccsccssecssseeeneen 79 9.0 

Vessels with phytomorphic Gecoration os cccceesecceecneene 16 1.0 

Vessels with skeuomorphic Gecoration -..-ccceceveseerenee 2 0.2 

Vessels with geometrical Gecoratior o.e.cccmecsememseeecemesee 291 33.0 

Vessels without decoration. 21252 pee 406 46.0 
Total 025 oal ee ee ee 871 

Anthropomorphic pottery Objects eiceccceneccmcssnicneneee 250 93.0 

Zoomorphie pottery objeets 22. .i 04 ee 18 7.0 

Skeuomorphie pottery Objects an ececcscnesessueesseineunsisennese 2 0.7 
Potala eee ae 270 


As is the case with Mixtec pottery, the proportion of Tarascan vessels with 
geometrical decoration is very high, being 33 per cent as compared with only 9 
per cent of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic. The high number with geometrical 
decoration, however, is set off by the large number of other pottery objects other 
than vessels in which the anthropomorphic forms reach a proportion of 93 per 
cent. 

The proportion of pottery vessels without decoration of any kind is 46 per 
cent, or more than any decorated group. Undecorated Tarascan pottery is not 
necessarily cruder than the decorated kind, for it is frequently made of fine dark 
clay carefully finished, often bearing small incised or embossed motives approach- 
ing primitive decoration. 

The great quantity of human figurines and the elaborate decoration on the 


pottery vessels indicate that the Tarasean had reached a certain high cultural — 
level, but at the same time, a great similarity with the archaic civilization of the 
Valley of Mexico is seen in the art of these same figurines. The preponderance — 


of geometrical design on Tarascan pottery also suggests a certain relation with 
the Archaic culture, because geometrical motives also predominate in that type. 
However, as yet, no archetypes which would show how they are related have been 
found of either of these cultures. 


ToLtec PoTTERY ' 


Toltee pottery is but slightly known because archaeological sites of the Toltec — 


are still almost untouched. In San Juan Teotihuacan, considered the principal 
city of the Toltec or at least the sacred one, are found rich archaeological remains 
and many minor objects which give a fair idea of the cultural stage of these 


people. The pottery of the Toltee was studied in the collections in the local 


museum on the archaeological site here. 


In the work, The Population of the Valley of San Juan Teotthuacan, pub- — 


lished in Mexico in 1922, excellent pottery studies and classifications have been 
made which make it unnecessary to go into great detail here. On the other hand, 


the limited number of ceramic objects of this culture that have been collected 


NoaurerA—Decorative Aspects of Mexican Pottery 89 


does not permit a very detailed study. The following is the classification of the 
decorative details on Toltee pottery :— 


No. Per Cent 

Vessels with anthropomorphic decoration ...ccccccccenec iT 6.0 

Vessels with zoomorphic decoration .icccccccccccccnccesecenee a Age 4.0 

Vessels with phytomorphic decoration 2... ccccccsceeemeneen 1 0.4 

Vessels with geometric Gecoration eececsccecnscececneenneene 43 16.0 

eMac WAtMOE GOGCOTEELON hemes tcnodtentcnennensiicon ii Sis 197 74.0 
Rhee: Gast acen tee oe 269 

Anthropomorphice pottery Objects neccsccsceecnsessntnsmncsnetne 294 71.0 

PIOGIIOL PUIG POTLETY OD JOC cesricnn csi miveincnrcacadestraodibtheoremnaeessns 40 10.0 

PRevomorphic pottery objects: ee 80 18.0 
YDS aie tne aire Sa, 414 


In spite of the limited number of samples of Teotihuacan pottery studied, 
certain conclusions can be reached. The number of vessels with anthropomorphic 
decoration is only 6 per cent, those with geometrical decorations amount to 16 
per cent, while animal motives occur in only 4 per cent of the cases. On the other 
hand, the high proportion of 74 per cent remain without decoration. 

There is a strong analogy here with Mixtec and Tarascan pottery, for in both 
eases geometrical decoration outweighs other types, while at the same time an 
abundance of anthropomorphic pottery objects exist to outweigh the scarcity of 
this type among the vessels. There are also many animal figurines among these 
minor objects representing fauna not found in the upland Toltee region of the 
eold Central Plateau. There are monkey and tiger motives which must have been 
imported from the hot lowlands. 

Contrasted with ceramics of these other cultures, the Toltec had among their 
pottery objects other than vessels, a total of 18 per cent of skeumorphic objects. 


AZTEC POTTERY 


The classification of Aztec pottery made here includes the products of the 
Cholulan, Tlaxcalan, and Matlazinca, as well as of the Aztec proper of the Valley 
of Mexico. The occurrence of decorative types is as follows :— 


No. Per Cent 

Vessels with anthropomorphic decoration cece 52 5.0 

Vessels with zoomorphic decoration ...crcccecceceecemnerneccteee 43 4.0 

Vessels with phytomorphic Gecoration ...e-ccccccecieseeen 43 4.0 

Vessels with skeuomorphic Gecoration occ 34 3.0 

Vessels with geometrical decoration 55.0 

Vessels without Geeoratiory ..cccccccicccsccincstcernestsemestaceesbinmsortee 26.0 
ci Boy ota W hse Stee Berea et srant 2a eeeleel aah 955 

Anthropomorphie pottery Objects ncccarccccsscemectnstnneinnste 266 94.0 

Zoomorphic pottery Objects nace eee cceeenssaccresrsesnitesean 15 5.0 

Skeuomorphic pottery OW JOcts nncancesceeecceseesorneceensenceeienseeeseee 2 0.7 
ACEO) eect ee eae anak 283 


In the case of Mixtec, Tarasecan, and Toltee pottery vessels, the geometrical 
patterns predominate over all others, and in the case of Aztec vessels the same is 


tionalized with use. 


The large proportion, 94 per cent, of anthropomorphic figurines md 
among other. pottery articles of the Aztec offsets the low proper 5 per 


of vessels bearing anthropomorphic motives. 


| 
2 
ES sre 
(2) o 
5 : 2 2 
Cultures S rey ‘3 » ee » Sy oe Bo 
Se Ee eles oe | Bie 
5 >) 3 Oo. -¢ pO 5 o I 
: Eee ce hc phe eae pemee! o 
ad 4 fed i ope eA” Bs pee 
Zapotec ......... | 660 | 42 | 256 | 16 6 104 
Mixtée 28°" Bo 38g yee aloag 202 
Tarascan. .... 77 |) 9°) 994. Gist 216 291 
TOltee nnn VT Ga Cae er 43 
Autes nc) G2 4 6 1 Asal des 535 
Totals. ..... 834 421 TT 1175 


groups pcaaheds is as ee — 


Vessels 
PB DOUCO ec eereee eee 5 1583 
Mixteo® 22222 | 553 
Tarascan 871 
TOltC@ scat 269 
Aztec. ...... 955 
Totals acre nee ¥ 4231 
Of these, the following analysis according to type of decoration is 
Vessels with anthropomorphic Gecoration ccc . 834 
Vessels with zoomorphic decoration nn cccmeenennnne 421 
Vessels with phytomorphic Gecoration ..eccenccerneeen aoa 
Vessels with skeuomorphic Gecoration ..eccccmccseunmee . 46 
Vessels with geometrical decoration 1175 
Vessels without. Cecore tore ic cence en spmeecenitpentae == LO73%, 
To bead mcs bine gota aaa oe 
Anthropomorphic pottery ODjeCtS necmecncnnnmnnernane LST 
Zoomorphic pottery OWJECES nee erecrcreieernnsesrnrsemamerenenees we ir BD 
Skeuomorphic Pottery ObJeCtS nncccceeennensrnecmmsennnee J eee 
. Tote pee thee Le 


Per . Cent 


ow 
an 


Noguera—Decorative Aspects of Mexican Pottery 91 


Thus, of forty-two hundred thirty-one vessels and seventeen hundred sixty- 
four pottery objects which make up a total of fifty-nine hundred ninety-five sam- 
ples studied from the collections at the National Museum of the cultural groups 
mentioned, we have :— 

Sixteen hundred seventy-eight vessels devoid of decoration and more or less 
crudely made, make up the 40 per cent of the total number of vessels. 

Eleven hundred seventy-five decorated vessels or the 28 per cent of the total 
number. 

As has been seen, for the purpose of this study, we have classified these into 
anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, phytomorphic, skeuomorphic, and geometrical 
decoration and according to our aforementioned table we advance the following 
hypothetical deductions :— 

Of all the cultural groups considered, the Aztec show the lowest percentage 
of undecorated ware and the highest of decorated pottery. Also, this culture 
shows the highest per cent in geometrical decoration. This is perhaps due to the 
fact that this culture was acquiring an exclusively artistic character through 
stylization, whereas in the other civilizations the artistic-symbolice character pre- 
dominates and its decorative motives tended to conventionalization and realism 
rather than to stylization. 

The proportion of skeuomorphiec vessels is insignificant, 1 per cent; because 
probably, these pre-Hispanic civilizations had not, as yet, attamed a complete in- 
dustrial production which might suggest and permit the creation of such artistic 
motives. In fact, the skeuomorphic motives that have been noticed are derived 
from a few industrial objects such as robes, blankets, mats. This hypothesis 
seems to be confirmed by the fact that Zapotec, Mixtec, and Tarascan pottery 
show only 0.4 per cent, 0.5 per cent, and 0.2 per cent, respectively, while the 
Aztee culture which is chronologically later than the others and at the same time 
had a more varied industrial production makes up a 3.5 per cent, certainly 
higher. 

The total percentage of phytomorphic decoration among these ceramics is 
insignificant, 2 per cent. This may be accounted for by the fact that the geo- 
graphical zones where these cultures developed are relatively high and the vege- 
tation is not so profuse and rich as in the lowlands and coasts. An examination 
of Maya, Totonac, and Huaxtec pottery probably will show a high percentage of 
phytomorphic motives derived from the abundant flora of the low regions. 

In regard to zoomorphic decoration the highest percentages are found in 
Zapotec, Mixtec, and Tarascan cultures while Toltec and Aztec are lower, prob- 
ably because the areas occupied by the former civilizations have certainly richer 
fauna than the areas of occupancy of Tolteec and Aztec who developed mainly in 
the Valley of Mexico, where animals are more rare. 

We can not account, even hypothetically, for the high percentage, 42, of 
Zapotec anthropomorphic decoration, whereas the other cultures show only 5, 9, 
6, and 5 per cent, respectively. 

As to ceramic objects other than vessels, anthropomorphic forms make up 
90 per cent of the total of seventeen hundred sixty-four examples studied and 
the zoomorphic and skeuomorphic make up the other 5 per cent each. 


92 XXIII International Congress of Am 


Moreover, because the human figure is ; represented mucl 
objects that are not vessels or receptacles, it is posible, be x 
tec, Zapotec, Tarascan, Toltec, and Aztec used geometrical 
motives on objects that lent themselves to these forms, 
their aig merselss Henmerens are pe ee to 1 


cess, as is exis dene euntet by the numerous human f fig? 
cultural Sreups, 


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